Gate and the like



Patented Feb. 12, 1924.

UMTED STATES WILLIAM W. NORMAN, OF HIBAM, ARKANSAS.

GATE ynu THE LIKE. Y

Application filed ,Tanuary 12, 1923. Serial No. 612,217.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. NORMAN, residing at I-Iiram, Ark., Ya citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates and the like, of which the following is a speciication.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction yof gate, door or the like which will require a minimum of effort to'open or close the same and which will accomplish that desirable result without complicated mechanism and thus lessen cost of the construction and eliminate liability of derangement or getting out yof operative condition. I illustrate my invention as embodied in a gate, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself only to gates as my invention is applicable to other Jforms of movable barriers, such for example as garagedoors and when I use the expression gate it is to be understood as used in an illustrativel and not restrictive or exclusive sense. "My invention consists in whatever is described by or included within the meaning or scope of the claims, which follow the detailed description.

In the annexed drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a gate embodying my invention, the full lines showing the parts when the gate is in a closed position and the dotted lines when the parts are in an' open osition.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2'2 o Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view.

The gate, 10, shown in the drawings is composed'of horizontal slats or bars spaced vertically and joined or secured together by suitable metal rods or bars, and when in its closed position it extends between two posts 11, and 12, respectively at either side of the driveway, and when in an open position it extends between the post, 12, and a third post, 13, spaced therefrom substantially the length of the gate, the three posts being in alinement crosswise of the road or drive-way so that the movement of the gate in closing and opening is a reciprocating one in substantially a straight line across the driveway.

Pivotally mounted upon the top of the post, 12, which is several feet above the top of the gate is a beam or lever, 14, which swings vertically at midlength upon its pivot 15, and is of a length equal or substantially equal to the distance between the posts, 11, and 13, said beam or lever including a truss, 16, 0n its upper side so that it has ample strength to support the gate which is slidably suspended from the lever by a longitudinally extending bar or rail, 1,7, that reaches from end to end of the lever and it is attached thereto at its ends so that a free space is provided between its ends for the traverse of the gate in opening or closing. The gate is suspended from the track, 1F, by several, preferably three trolleys, 18, attached to a light frame composed of upwardly extending metal bars` 19, and a top bar 20, which lies parallel or substantially parallel with the lever, 14,

which makes said bar incline with reference to the gate because when the vgate is in either an open or a closed position the lever, 14, extends at an incline downward, such forward inclination when the gate is closed being from the post, 13, to the post 11. When the gate is closed it is in a horizontal position when while it is open as shown in dotted lines in the drawings it inclines downward from the post, 12, to the post, 13.

It will be seen that if the gate supporting lever, 14 is tiltedupward at its end nearer the post, 11, when the gate is in a closed position, so that the lever, 14, inclines from the post, 11, towards the post, 13, that the gatewill slide or roll along the track, 17,

til)

to an open position solely by the act-ion of the force of gravity and thus the operator is required to expend no energy or effort in causing the movement of the gate except 1 that involved in swinging the lever, 14, with the suspended gate upward at the end beneath which the gate is suspended, and as the lever, 14, is balanced only the weight of the gate need be lifted and the effort ..5

to lift the weight of the gate may be materially reduced by a suitable arrangement of weights and pulleys that may form a part of the operating mechanism. It is plain that the modus operandi is the same Jfor both opening and closing the gate.

For rocking the lever,l 14, to lift the gate to open the same a rope, chain or other flexible member, 21, is attached to the lever, 14, at the end near the post, 11, and carried upward to and over a pulley, 22, mounted on the post, 11, and thence downward to and over a pulley, 23, mounted on the post, 11, and from such pulley, 23, it is carried upward to a pulley, 24, suspended from an arm or bracket, 25, projecting horizontally Jfrom a post, 26, a short distance inside of the post, 11, and from the pulley, 24, the flexible member, 21, depends and has attached to it a weight, 27, hanging at a convenient level tor grasping by one desiring to open the gate who simply pulls downward upon the weight or rope adjacent thereto. For litting the open gate to cause it to close there isa similar arrangement of rope or flexible member pulleys and weight and bracket or arm on the post, 26, and the corresponding or similar parts to those ofthe opening mechanism are designated by the same numerals with the sufiix a. The gate closing rope or flexible member, 21a, extends upward from the pulley, 23a, and is connected at its end to an arm or extension, 14, of the lever, 14, so that it will exert, a downward pull on the lever to lift the gate when in its open position.

It desired a latch, 28, may be provided to secure the gate in its closed position, and stops or buifers may be provided to arrest the travel of the gate without objectionable jar or shock, but the lever, 14, may be limited to swing to such inc-lines as will cause movement ot the gate without undue violence.

Each post, 11, and, 13, has a vertical slot, 29, (see F ig. 3) in which plays a metal linger, 30, projecting from the beam end, and

thereby the beam is guided in its vertical swing, andeach post has a short hinged section, 31, in one of its sides adapted when swung upward to provide a passage for the linger, 80, to swing through so that the beam may be swung on the post, 12, horizontally, parallel with the road, to allow high loads to pass throughl the gate. The sections, 31 are of course on opposite sides of the two posts. Thevbeam pivot, 15, has a vertical leg 32 that enters a socket in the top of post, 12, on which the beam may swing horizontally when it is necessary to move the beam out of the way for the passage of a high load through the gate. All the parts suspended from the beam, of course, swing with it and it is necessary to disconnect therefrom the ropes or other lexi `ble operating members, 21, and 21a. A turn button, 33, may be used to hold the section, 31, in closed position.

It will be understood that the post, 26, may be duplicated and located one on each side ot the approach to the gate, say about 20 tt. from the gate so that one approaching the gate in a vehicle may open the gate without getting vfrom his seat and when the vehicle has passed through the gate he may close the gate without getting from his seat.

While many of the details of construction I show in the drawings and have described are very desirable, and I shall make specific claims thereto, it is to be understood that the principle of my invention in the broad aspect is not restricted to such details.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a gate, a vertically i tilting support for the gate upon which the gate is movable by gravity between positions across the roadway and to one side thereof, means to tilt said support to an angle which will cause the gate to move from one of said positions to the other wholly by gravity, and a vertical pivot at the side of the roadway for said support about which it may turn to clear the roadway, said support in the normal operation extending completely across the roadway.

2. The combination ot a gate, a lever pivoted between its ends, means supporting the gate from such lever that permits the gate to move longitudinally of the lever, said lever being tiltable to cause it to incline from a horizontal position at an angle which will cause the gate to move wholly by gravity between positions across the roadway and to one side thereof, and said lever being pivoted to swing horizontally, and means to restrain said lever from horizontal movement comprising cooperating latch means at either side thereof.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my signature.

WILLIAM W. NORMAN. 

